Diving apparatus.



Q 1 9 1 r0 1 O N d 9 t m a D UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. SMITH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN. ASSIGNOR TO MARINE SALVAGE CO1V1- PANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

DIVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'atented Nov. 15, 1910.

To all vii/tom it may concern:

Be it known that l, (inoimn \V. Slum-u, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of l\'li|waukee, and State of isconsin, have invented new and useful Improven'ients in Diving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to iniprtwements in that class of diving apparatus, for which Letters Patent, No. 503.753, were issued to me August 22, 1893, and my present invention pertains more especially, among other things, to the construction of the ball and socket joint in which the gripping jaws are slidably supported and through which such jaws are operated from the interior of the bel As heretofore constructed the friction of the ball against the socket, due to the exterior pressure of the water when the bell is submerged, has been so great that it has been almost impossible to manipulate the jaw supporting shafts or to give them the inclination required in using the same, while by my present improvement, the friction of such parts is greatly reduced, whereby such' jaws are more easily operated.

The construction of my invention is explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a vertical section of one side of a diving bell provided with my improved ball and socket joint, and Fig. 2 is a detail thereof.

Like parts are represented by the same reference numerals in both views.

1 represents the side of a diving bell, the construction of which is more fully set forth and described in said patent.

2 represents the ball and 3 the socket, in which such ball operates and by which the clamping jaws 4t and 5 are supported and operated. The clamping jaw 4 is supported from the central shaft 6 and the clamping jaw 5 is supported from the hollow exterior shaft 7 and such jaws are moved toward and from each other by turning the operating handles 8, 8, substantially as shown and described in said atent, While said shafts are moved longitu inally backwardly and forwardly in the ball and socket through the stufling not 9, also as more fully set forth and described in said patent.

My present improvement. pertains more especia 1y, as stated, to the construction of i the socket. 25. As heretofore coi'istructed, the I hearings of the socket 5'5 teri'ninated near the upper and lower surfaces of the ball 2, whereby as the ball was forced inwardly by the exterior pressure of the water against it, a wedge action was given to the ball between such upper and lower surfaces, whereby the friction of the bearings is so intense that it becomes almost impossible to move the hall in its socket. By my present inn provement, however, the socket is provided with a semi-circular aperture for the rccep tion of the hollow shaft 7 and the lower side 10 of the socket is extended upwardly to or near the horizontal center of the socket, whereby the inward pressure of the water against the ball is brought to bear more direct against the opposing wall of the socketat the point 10, whereby the wedge action heretofore experienced by the construction shown in said patent is overcome and the ball is more easily and freely moved in its inclosing bearings. The ball inclosing socketis preferably formed in two parts 3 and 11, the part 3 being located upon the interior side of the ball and the opposing surfaces of the ball and socket are ground so as to form a water tight joint, while the exterior portion of the socket 11 serves to retain the ball in place. 12, 12, are bolts for securing the ball and socket to the vertical walls of the hell 1.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a ball and socket joint for diving apparatus, the combination of a ball provided with slidable bearings for the reception of a slidable shaft, a slidable shaft located in said bearings, a socket for the reception of said ball. provided upon two opposing sides with an aperture for the reception of said shaft, the inner walls of such socket being extended upwardly from the lower side of said ball to a point at or near its horizontal center, whereby the upward extension of said socket forms a resisting wall to the direct inward pressure of the water against said ball, while the upper side of said aperture permits of the required inclination and movement of said shaft.

2. In a ball and socket joint for diving apparatus, the combination of a ball provlded with slidable bearings for the reception of a slidableshaft, a slidable shaft said ball, means for retaining said ball in located in said bearings, LL socket for the said socket, and means for securing said ball reception of said ball provided upon its inner side with a semi-circular aperture for and socket to the exterior walls of the diving the reception of said shaft, the base or hell, all substantially as and for the purpose 15 5 lower side of said aperture terminating at I specified.

or slightly below the horizontal center of In testimony whereof I attix my signature said ball and socket, whereby space is proin the presence of two witnesses. vided in said aperture for the upward in- GEORGE \V. SMITH. clination of said shaft, while the lower side W itnesses:

10 of said socket forms a resisting wall to the O. R. Enwm,

direct inward pressure of the water against JAS. B. ERWIN. 

